Bronx man charged with raping pre-teen nearly cries in court

Carlos Medina, who has no previous arrest record, was charged with rape, sex assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child. (Gregg Vigliotti for New York Daily News)

A Bronx man accused of posing as a cop and mercilessly raping a 12-year-old girl nearly broke down in tears at his arraignment Friday.

Carlos Medina’s cash bail was set at $100,000 after a prosecutor noted that after the NYPD released his photo to the media on Tuesday, Medina shaved his beard and the next day left his U.S. Postal Service job early by claiming he had a family emergency.

Advertisement

Police believe Medina was trying to lie low. He gave himself up Thursday at the 45th Precinct stationhouse.

Medina, who has no previous arrest record, was charged with rape, sex assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

Dressed in a blue Champion sweater, Medina entered court slowly, shaking his head from side to side and nearly crying when Assistant District Attorney Nicole Mortorano argued without success that bail be set at $750,000.

Medina’s supervisor, girlfriend and brother were in court for the arraignment.

The attack began Jan. 4 on Elder Ave. in Soundview.

After the NYPD on released this photo of Medina to the media in an effort to find him, Medina shaved his beard and the next day left his US Postal Service job early by claiming he had a family emergency. (NYPD)

The victim, who is from Connecticut, was hanging out with friends when the suspect approached, flashed a shield, identified himself as a police officer and convinced her to get into his blue Toyota SUV, said authorities.

Medina then allegedly drove the girl to a motel in Pelham Bay, where he sexually assaulted her before letting her go.

Mortorano said if Medina is convicted, he faces a sentence of 25 years to life and a permanent spot on the sex offender registry.

His lawyer, Alexander Sanchez, entered a not-guilty plea and noted that Medina has no previous arrest record and has worked for decades for the Postal Service.

Sanchez also noted “there is no type of medical evidence reported in this case and there is no type of DNA evidence that has been reported in this case.”